The Banks concert venue: The Cincinnati Symphony will build it

The Bengals have threatened to veto plans for a concert venue built closer to Paul Brown Stadium by
Cara Owsley, cowsley@enquirer.com

A rendering of the temporary outdoor stage the CSO would build outside it's proposed concert venue at the Banks. The lawn would be built on top of a parking garage being built on Lot 24.(Photo: Provided)

The Cincinnati Symphony emerged on Monday as the developer of the music venue on the riverfront at The Banks.

It took hours of debate at the city and county, including the blaring of artist Jack White's music in Cincinnati City Council's chambers.

Still undetermined: Where at The Banks the music venue would be built and how it would look.

The three Hamilton County Commissioners on Monday unanimously chose the CSO as the developer of The Banks concert venue.

Later Monday, Cincinnati City Council's budget and finance committee approved the CSO as well in a 7-0 vote. Mayor John Cranley must still refer the matter back to the full city council for a vote, which the mayor plans on doing, his spokeswoman Holly Stutz Smith said.

Many hope the concert venue will breathe life into The Banks, an entertainment venue that many business owners say hasn't drawn the foot traffic they hoped.

"We need to bring a new demographic to The Banks," said Todd Portune, president of the county board. "That is what really excites me the most. We need a more eclectic mix of venues at The Banks. This is a dramatic step in that direction."

Labor issue, local ties swayed city council

The decision on music venue developers was between the CSO and Columbus-based PromoWest.

After several hours of presentations and debate on Monday, concerns over PromoWest's reluctance to use union labor and the symphony's local ties won over city council.

"I cannot support an organization with what I see as unfair labor practices," said Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Seelbach. Seelbach also expressed concerns about maintenance issues at the CSO-owned Riverbend but ultimately voted for the CSO.

"We’re not adverse to using union stagehands," PromoWest Chief Executive Officer Scott Stienecker said. "It doesn’t make fiscal sense at the rates they’re at right now."

Where exactly will venue be?

Obstacles remain before a music venue would open by the projected targeted date of fall 2019. One obstacle is the Bengals.

The football team's lease with the county for Paul Brown Stadium gives them rights to veto buildings taller than two stories within a block of the stadium. The CSO wants to build on Lot 27, a sliver of land next to the stadium and Smale Riverfront Park.

The Bengals, however, have threatened to veto that proposal. They suggested putting the concert venue on Lot 24.

But county and Banks leaders may be reluctant to use Lot 24 for a concert venue. At 2.6-acres, it's the largest undeveloped lot at The Banks. Developers have proposed luxury townhomes.

Exactly what the Bengals will do or can do is in dispute.

Portune doesn't believe the Bengals have a right in the lease to veto the location of the concert venue. He said the lease only requires the Bengals to be consulted.

He said the Bengals haven't threatened a veto.

The lease, however, seems pretty clear that tall buildings aren't permitted in a restricted area around the stadium.

It doesn't mention the word "consulted." The lease states "the county shall not permit any other person to construct any building or any other structure on the restricted area" taller than two stories and visible from a television camera in the stadium.

The lease states any violation is a breach of contract and would constitute a county default.

Tom Gabelman, the attorney for the county regarding The Banks, said the Bengals and county have worked out similar concerns in the past, notably with General Electric's building. The lease had similar height restrictions, but the Bengals agreed to allow for a bigger structure, he said.

"The Bengals have not stood in the way of progress," Gabelman said.

CSO: We can build where the Bengals want

The CSO shouldn't have problems moving its design to Lot 24 if that's where it must be built, said Mike Smith, head of the orchestra's music management division.

"We respect the Bengals involvement," Smith said. "We want the Bengals to be engaged and happy. The project will work. It would just be a reconfiguration, but we have not spent any amount of time on that."

The CSO beat out two other proposals from music promoters, Columbus-based PromoWest and California-based Live Nation. But Live Nation withdrew its request before Monday's meeting in support of the CSO.

Stienecker, PromoWest's CEO, made a case for his company before Cincinnati City Council. The company played a video with a soundtrack from artist Jack White, who headlined the recent Bunbury Music Festival. PromoWest owns and manages the festival.

"We're in the market now," Stienecker said. "We own and operate Bunbury. My son attends UC. We'll be even more in the community with this venue."

Decision-makers and business owners were split between CSO and PromoWest. Many in the local pop music scene back PromoWest under the belief they would bring more hip acts than the CSO and provide competition to the CSO-owned Riverbend and Taft Theater.

Many elected officials and business leaders, including the Joint Banks Steering Committee that recommends development in the riverfront complex, supported the CSO. The CSO's design takes up less space, and the CSO has pledged to bring in acts that will draw more young people to The Banks.

"There was no fix in," Portune said. "I would say we listened. What we're going to provide is a concert venue that will attract the acts they want, that will allow us to secure the acts that we need to secure at The Banks. They're going to be happy with the final project."